davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
A Tartar " Shamman.:.

In all nomad Tartar communities
such, for instance, as the Kirgese hordes
of the inner steppe between the Volga
and the Ural-the "shamman, or medi-
cine man, is person of first-rate i'm
portance. He is the priest and prophet
of the wandering tent folk, physician
and soothsayer, saint and thaumaturg.
He is regarded as being on familiar terms
with the unseen powers OF the universe,
and is supposed to have direct control
over the entire shammanist pantheon,
from the "t;csstori," or "good spirits"
who ride upon the "red foxes" to the
four-horned demons who rule in the
neither world. His blessing can insure
good health and success in life; hls
prayers can ward off evil and avert ad
early death; his adjurations cure sick
ness and prevent disease. He is revered
as one semi-divine, and no Tartar cere-
mony, whether in connection with
birth, death, marriage or funeral, can be
performed without him. He has his
own "yurta," and this is deemed as
sacred to the superstitious nomads as
the holy groves and hills, the ''stocks"
and "stones," which are everywhere OBJ
iects of worship to the wandering Mon
col tribes. The Office of shamman is
not hereditary among the Kirgese Tar
tars. Only specially endowed individu-
ais are considered eligible for the dignity.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
Spe0ring EelS,

By far the most expert method OF eel
fishing is "gigging" or ''spearing:." 1t Is
very laborious sport, for, unlike the easy
posture of the Indian in his river craft,
the modern night fisherman wades the
water. He carries gigging lamp N one
hand, whose reflector scattcrs three
pronged flame over wide surface and
plainly reveals the bottom of the stream,
lying two feet deep. A gig of six nicked
prongs is in his other hand. He moves
up stream; so does his game. The glare
OF the light will bring the game to
standstili. The eel lies straight as an
arrow and in waiting for any food that
floats down stream. The light so dazzles
the eel that you can stand over it and
with slow aim thrust the spear into its
tail. There lies it's greatest strength. To
hit it in the head will allow the captive
to entwinc the pole and break it. A
strong eel could easily break the arm of a
man.-PAuadelphia Times.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
A Startling Prediction.

Two hundred years ago in China there
was Just such craze about natural gas as
we have in this country to-day. Gas
wells were sunk with as much vim and
vigor as the celestials were capable of,
but owing to a gas explosion that killed
several millions OF people and tore up and
destroyed q large district of country,
leaving large inland sea, known on the
maps as Lake Foo Chang, the boring OF
any more gas wells was then and there
prohibited by law. 1t seems, according to
the Chinese history, that many large and
heavy pressure gas wells were struck, and
in some districts wells were sunk quite
near to each other. Gas was lighted as soon
as struck, as is done in this country. 1t
is stated that one we'll, with it's unusual
pressure, by induction or back draught,
pulled down into the earth the burning
GAS of a smaller well, resulting in dread
full explosion of a large district, destroy
ing the inhabitants thereof. Lake Foo
Chang rests on this district. The same
catastrophe is imminent in this country,
unless the laws restrict further develop
ments in boring so many wells. Should
a similar explosion occur there will be
such an uphcaval as will dwarf the most
terrible earthquakes ever known. The
country along the gas belt from Toledo,
through Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky
will be ripped up to the depth of 1900
to 1900 feet and Topped over like pan
cake, leaving a chasm through which the
waters of Lake Erie will come bowling
down, filling the Ohio and Mississippi
valleys and blotting them out forever
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17

would be there in few minutes, as she
could be easily sent for to the church,
whittier she had gone to practice. Colin,
however, decided to go himself, and had
no difficulty in finding the sacred edihce,
which was close at hand.
He seated himself just inside the door,
struck by the beauty of the picture be-
fore him. The old church was cool and
dim and still, the chancel alone glorified
by the sunlight, which glinted through
the colorcd windows, while the whole
building was filled with the long, plaint-
i've notes of the organ.
Colin sat down near the door and
waited patiently till Betty should come.
He heard her dismiss the little boy with
kind word of thanks for his services
saw her shut and lock the organ; and
then he waited in almost trembling eX-
pectancy while she came slowly down
the center aisle.
Betty" he said, softly, rising as he
spoke.
"Doctor Campion!" .
"You are surprised to see me here, "
he said," gently, walking out by her
side.
The sun shone down hotly on her as
she leaned against the stonework of the
doorway, revealing to Colin how pale and
thin she had become, and how sad were
her eyes and lips.
"You have been I'LL" he said, looking
down at her anxiously.
"Oh, no; am perfectly weli-un-
usually we'll indeed" she answered
hastily, nervously lingering the flowers
in her belt.
'sYou are surprised to see me here, see
ing how we parted" he said, watching
her intently. eve did not even say
good-by."
"Have you come to wish me good-by
now9" she asked, trying to smile.
"No; have come to ask you why you
were so angry that afternoon. You
treated my proposal as if had intended
it as an insult; you spoke to me as If
were acting a part! I don't think l
quite deserved it, Betty-do you?"
"'I-it was mistake" she faltered.
81 thought you were acting; / did not
believe in your love. II am very sorry: !"
Betty" he said, taking her hands
gently in his, ''if you had believed in my
love, would your answer have been differ
ent2"
IL think it might have BEEN"
'sDear, do you believe in it nowa Can
you trust me nowl"
eyes," she said, looking up at him for
the first time.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
Her Dowry.

The best dowry a wife can bring to her
husband, says the Youths Companion, is
q true and faithful heart, and sincere
desire to be to him all that is expressed
in that old-fashioned word, "help-meet." !"
The question of other dowry, such as
chatte!s or land or money, should always
be secondary, and is when marriage con-
tracts are made in the right spirit. A
very old lady, known to the writer,
amuses her friends by giving the follow
ing inventory of the things contained in
the dowry she brought to her husband: !:
SIN the first place" she says, 81
thought the world and all of Reuben,
and so did he of me; and neither of US
ever changed our minds.
''Then for other dowry had from my
home, one young COW, one colt, four
head of shotes, six hens, and dominick
rooster, one cat, one feather bed, six
good sheets, one new brass kettle, one
warming pan, fourteen quilts and six COW
erlets, six pewter spoons, six plates, four
cups and sassers, two knives and two
forks, bushel of seed corn, two chairs,
ten pounds of wool and ten of fax, O
glass molasses pitcher, and a pewter
sugar bowl.
Il tell you folks thought Reuben had
done mighty we'll to get me in those
days, and l think so, too. So did he;
and he never thought different. That's
the best part of it."
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
Opposed to Stumbling Boys.

Don't snub a boy because he wears
shabby clothes. When Edison, the in:
ycntor of the telephone, first entered
Boston he wore pair of yellow linen
breeches in the depth of winter.
Don't snub boy because his home IS
plain and unpretending. Abraham Lin
coins early home was log cabin:
Don't snub boy because of dulness
in his lessons. Hogarth, the celebrated
painter and engraver, was a dull boy at
his books.
Don't snub boy because of the ignor-
ance of his parents. Shakespeare, the
worlds poet, was the son of man who
was unable to write his own name.
Don't snub boy because he chooses
an humble trade. The author of Pill
grim's Progress was tinker.
Don't snub boy because of physical
liability. Milton was blind.
Don't snub boy because he shutters.
Demosthenes, the great orator of Greece,
overcame harsh and stammering voice.
Our Dumb 44nimalS.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
Insurin1 Mafdens.

In Denmark there is a society known
as the Maiden Assurance Society; its aim
is to provide for ladies of well-to-do
families. 1t shelters and cares for them,
and furnishes them with spin money"
It's methods ore thus described: The
nobleman for the association is peculi-
arly for this class--as soon as female
child is born, enrol!s her name in GER
tain association of noble families and
pays a certain sum, and thereafter fixed
annual amount to the society. When she
reaches the age of twenty-one, she be-
comes entitled to fixed income, and to
q suite of apartments in large building
of the association, with gardens and park
about it, inhabited by other younger or
older noble ladies who have, IN like man
ner, become ne bers. If her father
should die in her youth, and she should
desire it, she has shelter in this building,
and at a time fixed her income. When
she dies or marries all this right to in
come lapses, and the money paid in
swells the endowment of the association.
Her father may pay for twenty years and
then her marriage cuts off all advantage
of the insurance. But this very chance
must enable the company to charge lower
annual premiums and make the burden
less on the father insuring. He has, at
any rate, the pleasant feeling that his
small annual payments are insuring his
daughters future, and giving her COM
Portable home and income after he is gone.
1t is obvious that the chances formarriage
among given number of women can be
calculated as closely as those of death.
The plan has worked well for generations
in Copenhagen. Manchester (EnglanD
Policy H0hier.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
How Ladies' Count.

'Did you ever notice how ladies
count2" said q dry goods clerk. "1 do
not REFER" he continued, "to women in
business, but the majority of ladies who
shop. They seem to have some intui-
tive way of reaching results, very differ
emily from the way men calculate money
matters. What do mean? Well, stand
here and watch the next lady who counts
her cash, and you will find that most of
her arithmetic is done on her fingers.
She may not snap them down 'one, two,
three four but there is q slight move
ment of the muscles and lips that tells
one that she is counting by them all the
same. Some never count the money
over, but accept it as right. Others
count it over and always say it is short.
Now you see, of those six ladies who
have received change while we have been
talking, only one has counted her cash,
and she counted it over twice before she
was satisfied. I have given this matter
considerable study, and am led to infer
from my observations that the average
female mind has no correct sense of num-
bers. ."-DstroI 1ribune.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
W0MAN'S WORLD.
PLEASANT LITERATURE FOR
FEMININE READERS
An Outdoor Belle.

Some styles of beauty vary with their
surroundings, as is shown by writer in
the New York Mail and Express:
1t often happens that a belle of the
parlor is not belle on the beach, and
that girl that gets small attention in
doors is admired outdoors. A group on
the sand at Long Branch was composed
of dozen men and one girl, who was
being talked to by all of them, and one
who was surely neat, comely figure in
modest bathing suit. 1 recalled her as
having seemed Of no account at all in the
hotel on the previous evening. What
makes the difference in herr" asked OF
an expert. "The reason is that she bears
the wetting and the sunshine" was the
reply. "She has no brilliancy of COM
plexion nor beauty of features, and in
the shade she can't bear competition with
more luxuriously-endowed creatures, but
out here in the glare her freckled face
looks clean and bright, her drenched hair
is becoming to her small features, and
perfect naturalness gives to her charm. !"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
THROUGH THE STORM.

beard a voice, tender voice, soft falling
Through the storm;
The waves were high, the bitter winds were
calling,
Yet breathing warm
OF skies serene, Of sunny uplands lying
In peace beyond;
This tender voice, unto my voice replying,
Made answer fond;
Sometimes, indeed like crash Of armies meet
ing,
Arose the gale:
But over all that sweet voice kept repeating,
~ shall not fail"
--Ha,per's Magazine.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
Fashion Notes.

High faring bows are still feature OF
fashionable head coverings.
Figured black tulle over skirt of
colored silk is liked for evening wear.
Many of the newest tailor-made suits
have the white pique waistcoat and COL
lar.
Numerous fancy trimmings appear
upon the long wrists of the newest
gloves.
Solid silver chains for girdles or for
looping up dresses are among new and
novel things seen.
Coarse braids are more stylish than any
of finer wear for dressy hats, either in
back or in colors.
Latest Partisan bonnets are by no means
as high as they were and are exceedingly
simple and pretty.
Bonnet pins become more and more
elaborate and expensive, the designs now
running to insects.
Silver jewelry is as popular as ever and
represents much the same patterns as are
seen in gold jewelry.
Silver bangles have as ''danglers" ten
mis- rackets, croquet mallets and other
seasonable ornaments.
Light white silk, volle or muslin takes
the pace of heavy satin or moire for warm
weather wedding dresses.
Gauze ribbons are still the prettiest
possible trimming for the white lace
bonncts so stylish this season.
A sash bride is stylish on ether
white or colored costumes and takes
the place of sash in finishing a Co.'S
tune.
Honey-comb work is used for the yokes
of thin fabrics instead of shirring, and is
attractive for washable or thin woolen
fabrics.
Cocks plumcs are stylish on travelling
hats and for generally knock about wear,
as they perfectly stand any sort of
weather.
A beautiful costume of striped pink
silk of black and white combined with
chantilly lace is as elegant as anything
SCEu tiiic oOuoOh'
Cardinal hats of Grape are worn with
white costumes, and have pretty effect.
A cardinal sash also brightens the cos
tune still further.
The most becoming costumes Of berege
are trimmed with silk lace in color con-
trasting to the berege or in dark shade
of the same color.
Clear batiste muslin having bouquets
of roses upon a white ground, or a
border of roses, are used for some very
dainty warm weather toilets.
Large tortoise shell buttons for out
side Jackets have monogram in gold
or if of ivory they have the design
etched into the button in black.
The small ornamental pins which are
useful for fastening bonnet strings or
lace gradually grow less in size, but
greater attention is glTen to their beauty
and artistic finish.
Pretty sandals are encrusted with Jets
over the straps that cross the lnstep.
Sandals over the fashionable openworE
stockings are among the most stylish
foot-gear of the season.
Among the newest dress trimmings are
metal embroidery. Gold, silver, bronze
and iridescent threads are worked by
machine in beautiful designs, and the
foundation being afterwards cut away
leaves an open work pattern, giving the
effect of lace.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
The Langtry Coiffure.

The Langtry is at present in California,
devoting herself to study, and one of
the newspa Ter gossips writes, to the
invention of new coiffure.
Imitation is the sincerest f1attery, and
the Langtry has grown so accustomed to
this species of adulation that she can't
live and thrive without it. 1t was she
who introduced last winters fashion OF
fluting the back and sides of the hair
after it had been arranged high on her
head. But she did not get the credit OF
it, though it became universal and was
very becoming. When she returns she
will have some me.hod of folding up
her chestnut locks that will be easy to
initiate, becoming and fashionable at
once. She herself has promised it, and
her entire mind is being bent toward
the fulfllment of it. One thing about
Lanctrv's head.dress it is always difficult
to initiate, and that is the eXquiislte
chestnut brown of her silky locks, char
actcristie English hair that forms the
most perfect foil to the pink and
white English skin. Some approach
TO this shade can be obtained by
bathing the hair frequently in
lukewarm water, to which half u
tcaspoonful of hartshorn has been added;
II Gives the hair an auburn tinge, and
m maios it very light and fluffy, but ruins
it in the long run, taking away, all its
life and drying up the natural OIL "l the
scalp. The onl y hair dye that is known
that does not in lure the hair is that used
by the Persian women-a weak solution
of henna. In Persia only one shade OF
hair is known and that one artificial. No
matter what may be the color of child's
hai--and there are even blondes there
sometimcs-as soon as it obtains to q
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17

convenient length it is dyed with henna
and kept dyed as long as she lives. The
shade they desire to obtain is one that
naturally is as rare as it is beautiful.
The natural color which when in shadow
is absolutely dark, but when the suns
rays strike it all the salient points turn to
a reddish gold. 1t is color sometimes
seen in this country in children year or
two old, and nothing can be more beau
tiful than these dark locks lit with this
cleaning touch on the turn of the curl,
on the fold of braid or coil of thick
twist of silken hair. In Persia it is
taken quite as a matter of course, and
many of the wives of the Ambassadors to
Teheran have adopted the custom of dye
ing their hair the same way, as it suffers
no injury from the process:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
A Kitten with Five Heads.

A citizen of Cincinnati thought he had
a sure fortune in kitten which had FIVE
heads, five tails, ten fore legs and five
hind legs. He also thought it ought
to have about forty-ive lives and was
good for many years, but after brief
career of fifteen days the little monstros-
ity died, the result of too much handling
by the curious. Troy Times.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
New York Women Who Swim.

~ never touch anything" he said to
me one day composedly, (which is not
of the upper crust. I instruct the aristo-
cratic people Of New York how to swim,
I will not have anything to do with the
humber elements of the. town. This IS
partially because like it, and partially
because bath that is run exclusively
for the best class of society will be liber-
ally patronized. My place occupies four
city lots, for which I paid $S5, 900 before
I began to build. The expenses are very
large, as it is necessary to keep the pool
warm enough in winter to admit of bath
ing, and all the accessories are in good
taste.
This was true to an eminent degree.
Everything that the water touched was
marble or silver, and the dressing-rooms
were models of comfort and elegance.
Illustrated magazines and papers were
scattered about the reading rooms, and
the attendants were all in showy uni
forms. There were probably half a dozen
ladies swimming at the time. They
wore very light and close fitting bathing
suits, and their instructors were women.
One of the swimmers was society
lady whose face had been familiar to
New Workers at the opera and fashion
able balls for several seasons. She is a
dainty little woman, with face as deli
cate as cameo, and she has soft voice
and gentle manner. She reminds one
of q nun, she is so quiet and demure.
The day that glanced into the bath she
was just emerging from her dressing
room. She pattered down the walk on
a run, scudded up the steps to spring
board five or six feet above the water.
posed herself on the end moment, and
then sprang in the air like bird and
dived out of sight. Presently she came
to the surface Of the water, ten or fifteen
feet beyond, and went splashing hand
over hand to the steps. Once there she
scrambled to the walk again and repeated
her dive with shrek of exultation that
could be heard all over the building.
She was as wild, untrammeled and vent
uresome as street arab on an east side
dock. Many of the crack croquet, bad
minton and polo playing girls swim
regularly at the these baths. They have
learned that it develops their muscles,
increases the color in their cheeks, and
adds to their buoyancy, courage and
spirits. Most of them are as reckless as
dock rats in the water, though as proper
as ouakeresses on land. Many of them
would doubtless repeat with my friend
the lawyer: "Me tub is me second SELF
BLakelg Hall.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
The Farmers Son.

4 farmers son was Silas Brown,
Whose misdeeds caused his parents pain,
And who was known about the town
As one who'd ne'er do we'll again.
So, when the father, through the door
His offspring flung with wrathful cry,
The neighbors said: "As oft before,
Poor Brown has heaved heavy ST."
Boston Budget.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
The Fiery Ordeal.

On pottery my love was pleased to paint
Designs that were exceeding rare and
quaint;
And when she had them done as she desired,
With neatness and dispatch the pots were
fired.
"Iove, am but vase of common clay
Design me as you will l humbly praym
The maiden fashioned me as she thought
best.
And then-why, was fired with the rest.
IT B. Sanborn. :.
Echo de l'ouest. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1883-1929, 1887-12-01
+. r. LEROUX, Redacteur.

Monsieur s'assied, deplIe son
journal ct s'absorbe dams sa lectu-
| re, sans daigner regarder sa fem
me qui console la petite file.
Ce soir Ia, Monsieur Sc coucha
de mauyaise humeur, Madame
pleura ct Bebee cria.
Et tout celia parcs qu'une aiguiI-
le que la bonne await probable
ment cassee etait tombee par
terre.
LIE lendemain so1r, en- rentrant,
Monsieur trouve Madame qui cher
che dams toute la chambre une
bougie q la main.
Monsieur. Que fais-tu Ia?
Madame -Je cherche les aiguil
les.
Jeunes femmes, croyez-moi,
charchsz auss1 ces aigullles ct vons
evitefez bien des scenes.
STRIx.
Echo de l'ouest. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1883-1929, 1887-12-01

4 Immobile sur le senil de 81
4 Ichaumiere. Ianuick ne songeait
/ plus 8 refermer SO porte nj q raj
.Ilumer 81 resine.
Toute son attention 6tait main
tenant concentree sur un seul
point.
Au milieu de Ia route, une gran
IdA ombre blanche, d'abord indeci-
lse, grandlssait ct semblan glisser
lentament sur le sol. Cette ON
bre 90 rapprochait de Iannick, don't
les cheycux Sc dressaient def
liroi.
C'6tait le mort qui venait recla-
mer, ponr son jour de fete, rexecu-
tion de Ia promesse qui lni await
let6 faite.
M e voici, Iannick, dit.il quand
I il ne fut plus qua quelques pas;
me voici: Je Yiens souper ayec
toi.
Iannick, 6perdu, jeta I'm cri.
epouyantable Ell roula CONNIE nne
masse aux pieds de l'effraYante
apparition. Dams sa chute, la tete
do malheureux frappa 81 yiolem
ment le sol qu'elle sly brlsa ct que
lie sang sen 6chppa CONNIE s'echap
pc l'eau dun vase fele.
-.
Qaand le lendemain. on rele-
va le cadayre les vleux dirent, en-
motrant ce crane brife::
Iannick await yol6 la tete du
mort ct ravait profanes:.le mort
est venu chercher la tete de
Iannick ct, dams sa colere, Ia Goa.
see sous son talon.
Depuis lors, les gems de Rospor-
den, jugeant que ceIui qu'ils appe
latent le Voleur de tete await snfi
samment expi6 So faute, Sc rem
daient chaque aimee, q la Tous-
saint, demander sur la tombe du
terrible vengenr le pardon du t6-
m6raire.
Et il est q croire que le mort a
pardonne, cur cette contume q, au-,
Iourd hui, complement disparu.
GEORGES GUILLAUMOT.